•Cruiser
(continued from page 1)
were on the scene of a motor vehicle
crash on a hill on Lime Kiln Road
when a fire truck, an ambulance and
a cruiser all became stuck. He said it BRADFORD--If anyone ever which a food item is placed every
was Sunday afternoon, hours after doubted that people working to- day leading up to Christmas for the
the first snow hit the ground, gether have the power to make the food shelf), or the Mentoring
"I couldn't even stand up," world better, the Giving Fair, held Project raffle, or smokeless stoves
Blanchard said, adding he was upset Dec. 9 at the Bradford Congrega- for Africa, the re,make of the Oicl
to learn the town's road agent was at tional Church, would thoroughly Church Theater in Bradford, and
home and not out on the roads convince them it is very powerful, many others.
treating them. "I had a car inthe ditch indeed. No one needed to leave empty-
and a fire truck that couldn't move, The Giving Fair brought together handed. The Bradford Library had
as well as an ambulance and a 23 area not-for-profit organizations mystery books, labeledby genre and
cruiser .... I wasn't very happy." to inform, inspire, and raise funds, already wrapped. Don & Jenn gave
Blanchard said the state road Local nonprofits serving the young, free coupons for music lessons, and
crews were still out as well as theold, theneedy, the environment, there were handouts in abundance to
municipal crews in Piermont and the arts, those inthe community, and digest at leisure.
Woodsville and he wondered why those as far away as Kenya, Haiti, As the first event of its kind in
Haverhill'screwswerenotout. Zimbabwe, and lndia were on hand. this area, participants had few
Forthemostpart, theselectboard They promote a host of projects expectations. After the fair they
remained silent duringBlanchard's from reading, community service, were unanimous in its appeal, its
comments. Selectman Tom Friel, youth leadership, help for the value, and in the desire to make it an
who lives onPage Road offofLime abused, local businesses, conserva- annual event. As one guest said, "It
Kiln Road, acknowledged the slick tion, to exploration, and love of our shows all the good things that are
conditions Sunday afternoon and area.
December 13, 2017--JOURNAL OPINION--Page 7
going on right here in our commu-
said the instrument panel on his Amid the hall filled to the brim nity and around the world. It makes Catherine Kidder (left) of Help Kids India and Susan Goodell (center) speak with Laura Wolfe Lornilzo
pickup truck"lit up like a Christmas with talk, displays, and merchandise, me proud to know what we're doing (right} about their craft products, handmade by Indian women.
tree" warning him ofhazardous road were children busy with their and what we can do to help." •Act 46
conditions as he traveled past the Christmas giving, choosing which
crash scene, of all the worthy causes they wanted
SelectboardchairWayneFortier to support: the reverse Advent
thanked Blanchard for his com- calendar (a pre-wrapped box in
ments.
"We'll look into it," Fortier said.
In a brief interview after the
meeting, Blanchard said there was
no damage to any of the vehicles
which left the scene after the road
was treated by the road crew.
"We spun the wheels [on the fire
truck] until the automatic tire chains
kicked in," Blanchard said.
Email: eballam@/onews.com.
###
Submitted by Catherine Kidder.
Courtesy photos by Tom Kidder.
(continued from page 1)
students in their home schools with
(continued from page D
Education will issue its final into contractual agreements with Meeting on Dec. 5 without mem-
statewideplan. Danville School and Caledonia bersoftheNewburySchoolBoard
Under Act 46, the state cannot Central Supervisory Union "to present, a subcommittee was formed
mandate any schools closures and it improve opportunities for [BMU to present "a vision" that merges
cannot tell districts to alter their students] by increasing academic schools from throughout the Con-
current educational structure. For andprogammatic offerings." necticut River Valley into a single
example, regulators cannot instruct Knisely wiU prepare the plan this district. According to meeting
Waits River Valley to discontinue month before presenting to the minutes, schools from Thetford,
high school choice nor can they tell school board at their regularly including Thetford Academy, BMU,
BMU to be something other than a scheduled meeting on Dec. 20. Waits River, Newbury and Bradford
preK-12 district. Newbury, meanwhile, will hire are part of that vision.
School district governance and education consultant Wayne Gersen Email: editor@/onews.com
supervisory unions, however, are to frame its plan.
subject to the law. 2019 is theAt a meeting on Dec. 7, NES
earliest any alterations to school board members told Gersen that
BINGO
district governance could take they want Newbury be part of a BRADFORD--The Orange East Senior
effecr. Around Vermont, several functioning supervisory union. AI- Center hosts Bingo games every Monday
districts have already merged or thoughthey stopped short ofcalling at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. and food
consolidated, for a withdrawal from the Oxbow and beverages will be available for sale.
Union District, they told Gersen to
highlight the historic connections
betweenNewbury andBMU, noting COMPUTER CLASS
BRADFORD--Computer classes will
of the state where it's infinitely that both school buildings are be held on Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m.
complex." located in the same town. at the
Orange East Senior Center. All skill
As part of BMU's alternative Meanwhile, OxbowandBradford levels are welcome to attend.
governance proposal, the district will make their own alternative
will indicate a willingness to enter governance pitches to Holcombe.
better access to general class- "There are some parts of the
Cindy Perry of Raven's Wood Outdoor School for Renegades models state where it's infinitely simple,"
rooms, and possibly generate rev- a skunk pelt for Jim Heidenreich Knisley said. "There are some parts
enue, she said.
The proposed special education •Sto r m
budget shows a big increase for
speech and language services. It also (continued from page 1)
shows an accounting correction that
adds nearly $147,000 next year. was a culvert will eventually be a $500,000 bridge.
Arbour proposed several district "At 11 p.m. on July 1 we stood on the edge of it andthought this doesn't
staffchanges: increasing the payroll look good," Rogers recalled.
clerk to a full-time, year-round Chris Bump ofVTrans has been working with the town on the road
position for payroll and human repairs as well as complying with federal and state funding requirements.
resource assistance, perhaps adding Discussions continue about the long-term impacts of EPA truck traffic
apart-time grant manager, combin- on road compression and tire rutting along routes to the Elizabeth Mine
ing athletic director, manager and remediation site.
facilities rental manager into one Rogers said that with federal money, towns must adhere to acertain
full-time position, and increasing process, which if not followed, can result in a forfeiture of the funds. For
the special education assistant/ example, property owners who abut the road rights-of-way must enter
Medicaid lerk by one day a week to int° agreements r the funding t° be appr°ved" :' :
fourdays. "Everything g0¢ to engineering in order to be able to withstand
certain (conditions)/' Kbgers said. "The expectation is that we'll see
The budget includes $20,000
next year to begin to replenish the
capital reserve fund over several
years. This would be in addition to
the $30,000 that has historically
been put into the fund each year.
Since 2015-2016, the district has
withdrawn about $203,000 out of
that account, primarily for roof
repairs, handicap accessibility con-
struction. There is a balance ofjust
under $80,000 in that account at this
time.
Board member Kathy Hooke
later spoke of the link between
annual decreases in debt service and
the capital reserve fund. Repair
costs are going up as the facilities
age, she pointed out, and the debt
savings should be applied to cover
them.
Salaries make up 49 percent of
the entire budget, with benefits
adding 20 percent, Arbour said. She
added that these normally come
closer to 80 or 85 percent, but that
Rivendell contracts out a fair
amount of services such as school
psychology or occupational therapy.
Head of Schools and Rivendell
Academy Principal Keri Gelenian
asked for a few additions which were
not included: to add one day to the
7th/8th grade counselor's contract,
increase language arts and social
studies instructional materials, and
buy furniture.
Food service director Celise
Johnson proposes to reactivate the
greenhouse to grow vegetables for
use in the lunch program.
Recognizing the need to make
some reductions, Arbour said this
budget does not include the world
language program and stretches out
payments into the capital fund. She
said the administration would also
debate the winter program, field
trips, and perhaps removing the
fourth day for the middle level
counselor.
"We absolutely want good qual-
ity programming," Arbour said,
recognizing the need to control
expenses. She left with the goal of
bringing choices back to the board
that could cut the increase to 2.5 or
3.5 percent.
The board will address these at a
special budget meeting on Dec. 19
at 6:30 p.m. in the district office.
The board did not set the dates for
public hearings in January.
Email: crichardson@jonews.com.
more of these events, where significant rain causes significant damages."
Repairs must be engineered to that new standard, with larger culverts and
other considerations.
"That's why the Route 132 work is taking so long because it's being
engineered to handle worse events," Rogers explained. For example, 3.5-
foot culverts are now being replaced with 8-foot ones.
Building with an expectation of future cataclysms comes with a price
tag.
Rogers said that Thetford has had to take out two lines of credit to cope
with repairs. The town has to pay for the repairs and then present the bills
to FEMA. Although reimbursement of much of those costs is expected,
he would be "surprised" to see any of the FEMA money before next July.
Interest on the loans as well as the 12.5 percent to be locally funded
may necessitate having to put together a bond to spread costs over a few
years.
Email: news@l'onews.com.
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